MAL WALDRON- Complete Trio Recordings 1958-1960Fresh Sound Records FSR-CD854 (2CD set)Mal Waldron (piano) with Addison Farmer, Julian Euell (bass) Kenny Dennis, Albert `Tootie` Heath , Al Dreares (drums) and guest Jackie McLean (alto sax) Recorded at sessions in New Jersey and New York dated September 26th 1958, March 20th 1959 and April 1960.The three sessions that make up this two disc set represent Waldron’s earliest recordings as the leader of his own trio, his previous leadership enterprises having been conducted in the context of quintet and sextet formats. Having a fairly idiosyncratic style he tended to run with fast company at the leading edge of the late fifties/early sixties modern jazz scene and appears in many Prestige sessions of the time including the celebrated `At The Five Spot` date with Eric Dolphy and Booker Little. At the same time he proved flexible enough to adapt his style to serve as Billie Holliday’s accompanist, a job he held from 1957 until the time of her death in 1959 and in these trio sessions he demonstrates how he managed to straddle these seemingly incompatible briefs with ease. Stylistically he sits somewhere between Monk and Bud Powell sharing many characteristics with another undervalued pianist, Herbie Nicholls. Their approach to the interpretation of ballads is, to my ears, remarkably similar in that they invest them with a sombre grandeur imparting an epic quality of almost anthem like proportions. His take on `Like Someone in Love`, which appears on the first disc, exemplifies this approach. Other elements include block chords, spacious intervals, dense harmonies and staccato, Morse code like pointillism alternating with fleet accelerations and concert piano climaxes.The first of the featured albums went under the title `Mal/4-Trio` when first issued and features Addison Farmer on bass whose big sound is captured to perfection in a bright, well defined recording. The drummer on this session is Kenny Dennis, a Max Roach disciple with a firm grasp of bop technique. He is replaced by Albert `Tootie` Heath for the second session, `Impressions` which features more in the way of original composition which was, of course, an important aspect of Waldron’s talent; nothing here equals the originality of his ballad `Soul Eyes` which became part of the standard repertoire but the set opens with an ambitious three part suite in which he conveys his musical impressions of France and Italy. The first of these has a distinct Gershwin feel whist the second, C’est Formidable` could be interpreted as a celebration of another famous `American in Paris`, namely Bud Powell. The energetic `Ciao`, clocking in at nearly ten minutes, completes the suite leaving room for three standards and a delightful original by the pianist’s wife which takes the form a waltz before modulating into 4/4 rhythm.The third session was first issued under the title of the opening number, `Left Alone`, being an album dedicated to Billie Holiday who penned the lyric to Waldron’s haunting tune. The version heard here is purely instrumental and features the plaintive cry of Jackie McLean’s alto capturing the essence of Holiday’s angst to perfection. This is his his sole appearance on the recording and it is so good one wishes he might have made a bigger contribution to the project. The only other tune associated with the singer is a meditative interpretation of `You Don’t Know What Love Is` whilst the remaining tracks consist of an oblique reading of Sonny Rollins’ `Airegin` and two powerful originals in which Euell and Dreares display their mettle through important contributions to the compositional structure. The disc ends with a short interview with Waldron, conducted by Teddy Charles, in which the pianist reveals his indebtedness to Billie Holiday whose singing profoundly influenced his phrasing and his approach to the playing of ballads. For those, like myself, who have only known of Waldron through his work as an accompanist and sideman this set of discs will prove a valuable acquisition revealing aspects of his talent that may hitherto have been less apparent ; audio wise the sound is bright and well detailed with bass and drums coming through with depth and clarity. As is usual with Fresh Sound releases the booklet contains original art work, sleeve notes and a useful essay providing a contemporary appraisal.Reviewed by Euan Dixon

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